Bafana Bafana coach Gordon Igesund believes his players have what it takes to beat Mali and make it to the semi-finals of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.
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Bafana, Group A winners, take on the Eagles who came second in Group B, this Saturday at the Moses Mabhida Stadium which is now considered a stronghold for the hosts due to the outstanding support they've received there over the course of the group stage.
The last-eight game is a repetition of the 2002 quarter-final when Mali were hosts and won the game 2-0, but Igesund is expecting a reversal in fortunes this time round.
"Obviously we know at this stage of the tournament it is always going to be very tough. We know that Mali is a very talented team with some very good players who play differently to a lot of teams here," Igesund told MTNfootball.
"We know they like to slow it down and knock the ball around and they are very comfortable on the ball. We have started our preparation now and we'll take each game as it comes.
"We are two games away from the final and all the guys know what lies ahead. It is a huge challenge for us and we will just prepare well for Saturday.
"He (the Mali coach) is doing what most coaches do, which is to take the pressure off their own team. Believe me that all the teams at this stage of the competition are feeling the same pressure because we all want to advance to the semi-final," he said of Patrice Carteron's comments that Bafana are under pressure.
"I think he is just playing mind games because he has some very, very good players in his squad so believe me, they are also under pressure.
"There is pressure on Mali now, not saying we don't have pressure, but it is different. We don't have to do well anymore, we just want to do well. We had to get out the group because of the expectation, but that is gone now."
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